Department for Transport

Road Traffic Control: Urban Areas

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of local authorities introducing traffic filters to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution; and of whether this displaces such pollution from city centres to city peripheries; and what plans they have, if any, to amend the regulations relating to the use of traffic filters in such circumstances.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Under the NO2 Programme, local authorities with persistent exceedances of nitrogen dioxide concentrations are required to assess and implement measures to reduce and maintain nitrogen dioxide levels to within legal limits in the shortest possible time. Local authorities make their assessment using rigorous transport and air quality modelling. This is informed by impact assessments, which include the consideration of traffic displacement, and extensive public consultation. Measures may include implementation of a Clean Air Zone by a local authority using powers under the Transport Act 2000. Clean Air Zones reduce the frequency of journeys taken by the most-polluting vehicles within the zone and can increase vehicle turnover to cleaner vehicles. Local authorities monitor NO2 reduction measures throughout their lifetime in collaboration with the DfT/ Defra Joint Air Quality Unit.

Railways: North of England

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports of overcrowding on TransPennine Express trains resulting from cancellations, what discussions they have had with TransPennine Express concerning health and safety on their trains.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department’s Rail North Partnership with Transport for the North monitors TransPennine Express’s current performance and service levels and has regular discussions about overcrowding and how to improve services to better meet the needs of passengers.

Pedestrian Areas and Roads: Snow and Ice

Lord Mawson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the level of gritting of (1) roads, and (2) pavements, during icy weather.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Section 41(1A) of the Highways Act 1980 places a duty on local authorities to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway (which covers both the carriageway and footway) is not endangered by snow or ice. It is the local authority’s responsibility to assess the need to grit and ensure that there are adequate drivers available to carry out gritting operations. The Government recognises that it is not possible nor proportionate to grit every road or pavement in the country. Instead, local highway authorities prioritise parts of the network that contain essential services such as bus routes, hospitals, and shopping centres. Councils provide winter information including details of their gritting routes on their websites.

Railways: Compensation

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to renew the Delay, Repay scheme, and (2) to ensure that all cancellations are considered in the published statistics.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Chiltern was the final operator to introduce Delay Repay in May 2022. We recognise that the cancellation figures published by the Office of Rail and Road only provide a view of those made after 22:00 the night before. We are therefore looking at ways of compiling and presenting information that provides a fuller picture of the situation so that passengers and the public can see how the service delivered varies against the service specified, recognising that there are a range of legitimate business reasons for this. I can however assure you that all cancellations are taken into consideration when holding operators to account.

Train Operating Companies: Finance

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) incentives, and (2) conditions, they place in contracts with train operators to ensure they check tickets of all passengers in order to maximise revenue.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Rail contracts place obligations and performance payment incentives on train operating companies (TOCs) to monitor and deter ticketless travel. TOC ticketless travel performance has been evaluated to date as part of the Financial Performance scorecard evaluation. The new National Rail Contracts enable ticketless travel targets to be agreed with TOCs and their performance against these will determine the performance-based fee they earn for revenue protection activity. TOCs are expected to rigorously undertake ticket checks at gate lines and on train including issuing Penalty Fares and prosecuting fare evaders where appropriate. TOCs are required to undertake ticketless travel surveys to help identify areas where they need to take action. TOCs are also required through their annual Business Plan process to take forward initiatives to tackle ticketless travel.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Housing: Heating

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a home heating support fund.

Lord Callanan: The Government has expanded the Warm Home Discount from this year, providing rebates worth £150 to over 3 million households across Great Britain. The Government has also reformed the scheme in England and Wales, to provide more rebates automatically to households, without having to apply.This support comes in addition to the cost-of-living support packages announced this year. Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Energy: Prices

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce energy bills for households.

Lord Callanan: The Energy Price Guarantee has been in place to reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas for UK households. This is automatic and applies to all households. The Energy Bills Support Scheme provides £400 off energy bills for households. Work continues to develop comparable schemes to deliver £400 to households which are not eligible for EBSS, as well as to households in Northern Ireland. Details for both schemes will be announced shortly. The Government has also introduced the Alternative Fuel Payment of £200, delivering support for homes using fuels such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass which will be paid as soon as possible in the new year.

UK Endorsement Board: Standards

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to theWritten Answer by Lord Callanan on22 November 2021 (HL3859), whether the members of the UK Endorsement Board (1) individually, or (2) collectively, have the power to (a) tender for third party services, and (b) select providers of third party services.

Lord Callanan: The UK Endorsement Board (UKEB) is an unincorporated association. Whilst individual board members have the power to enter into contractual agreements, they have no call on UKEB funds which are managed through the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and can only be accessed when procurement has been authorised in accordance with the FRC Procurement Policy. UKEB members can input into the process of drawing up a list of prospective providers of third-party services with oversight from the FRC accounting officer.

Energy Bills Rebate: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government why they have changed the proposed method for distributing energy support payments to people in Northern Ireland.

Lord Callanan: Full details of the scheme, including how and when customers will receive the support, will be published as soon as possible.

Recycling: Labelling

Lord Teverson: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Office for Product Safety and Standards is sufficiently staffed and skilled to enforce mandatory recyclability labelling requirements.

Lord Callanan: The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has agreed, in principle, to act as a National Regulator for the new regulations on mandatory recycling labelling, which form part of proposed Producer Responsibility Obligations under the Environment Act 2021.  No final decision has been made that OPSS shall adopt this enforcement role, but should OPSS become the regulator it will be funded to ensure the necessary resources, including suitably qualified staff, are available.

Patents

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they provide SMEs seeking to obtain patent protection in (1) the UK, and (2) in other countries; whether they will extend the Enterprise Investment Scheme so that it includes support with patent costs; and whether they will amend the UK Innovate grant so that it supports international coverage for patents.

Lord Callanan: The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) provides guidance and support on protection for patents in the UK and abroad through free digital resources; webinars and events, alongside assistance through the network of Patent Libraries and Business and IP Centres. The IPO also partners with Innovate UK Edge to provide intensive, specialist-led support to help innovative SMEs identify, manage and protect their IP at home and abroad, including through financial grants. This complements other available Innovate UK grant funding of up to £7,500 for patenting costs supporting both UK and international coverage.  The knowledge intensive definition for the Enterprise Investment Scheme already includes intellectual property which covers patents.

Future Fund

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether theFuture Fund refused an application from Fly Atlantic; and if so, what were the reasons for doing so.

Lord Callanan: The Future Fund launched on 20 May 2020 and closed to new applications on 31 January 2021. The total number of applications received was 1,851. The scheme was open to all companies that met the eligibility criteria published on the British Business Bank’s website and passed the necessary checks. As it was a rules-based scheme, there was no assessment by the Future Fund of individual investments. The British Business Bank publishes the names of all companies in which the Future Fund retains an equity interest. The identity of applicants who did not meet the eligibility criteria is not made public.

Diesel and Petrol: Prices

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that motorists achieve value for money from fuel retailers, given varying pump prices for fuel within localised areas.

Lord Callanan: Following the conclusion of their initial review of the road fuel market, the Competition and Markets Authority has launched a Market Study into the supply of road fuel in the UK and is investigating whether the growing gap between the oil price and wholesale price of fuel, including disparities in price at retailers and across urban and rural areas, is justified. The Department looks forward to receiving its final report and the Government will carefully consider, alongside relevant industry partners, any recommendations made in the study.

Office for Product Safety and Standards

Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to ensure that the Office for Product Safety and Standards is sufficiently staffed and skilled to enforce the new regulations on mandatory recycling labelling.

Lord Callanan: The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has agreed, in principle, to act as a National Regulator for the new regulations on mandatory recycling labelling, which form part of proposed Producer Responsibility Obligations under the Environment Act 2021. No final decision has been made that OPSS shall adopt this enforcement role, but should OPSS become the regulator it will be funded to ensure the necessary resources, including suitably qualified staff, are available.

Office for Product Safety and Standards

Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Office for Product Safety and Standards is sufficiently staffed and skilled to enforce the new regulations on mandatory recycling labelling.

Lord Callanan: The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has agreed, in principle, to act as a National Regulator for the new regulations on mandatory recycling labelling, which form part of proposed Producer Responsibility Obligations under the Environment Act 2021. No final decision has been made that OPSS shall adopt this enforcement role, but should OPSS become the regulator it will be funded to ensure the necessary resources, including suitably qualified staff, are available.

Business: Working Hours

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made offeedback from businesses that are making use of financial support to trial a four-day working week.

Lord Callanan: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has provided no financial support for trials of a four-day week. The Government has therefore made no such assessment.

Department for Education

Pre-school Education: Migrants

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government how many children subject to No Recourse to Public Funds conditions are in receipt of 15 hours a week of free early education available to disadvantaged three and four year-olds, but would be eligible for the 30 hour entitlement if not subject to NRPF.

Baroness Barran: All parents are eligible to claim up to 570 hours of free early education per year, which is usually taken as 15 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year. This is available to all three and four-year olds, regardless of family circumstances, including those whose families have no recourse to public funds (NRPF).Working parents of three and four-year-olds may also be eligible for an additional 15 hours of free childcare, also known as 30 hours free childcare, subject to both minimum and maximum earnings thresholds. Parents must earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum/living wage, currently just over £7,900 per year, and their adjusted net income must be under £100,000.In a two-parent family both parents must meet these thresholds, unless one partner receives certain benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance). In a single-parent household the single parent must meet the threshold. Parents with NRPF are not eligible for this entitlement.The department does not hold data on the number of children whose parents have NRPF who are currently taking up the universal 15 hour early education entitlement. This means it is not possible to ascertain how many would be eligible for the extended 30 hour entitlement were they not subject to NRPF.

Teachers: Training

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Barran on 5 December (HL Deb cols 6–9), what is the appeals mechanism for those institutions that were refused accreditation to carry out teacher training; how the appeals will be carried out and by whom; and whether the decisions of those appeals will be agreed with sufficient time to allow those institutions time to recruit students for the 2023/24 academic year.

Baroness Barran: Following the completion of the recent initial teacher training (ITT) accreditation rounds, the department allowed an appeals process for applicants who had been unsuccessful. The appeals process opened on 30 September 2022 and applicants had 15 working days to submit an appeal via an online form. The department assessed all submissions on a case-by-case basis, against published criteria. The published criteria allowed for appeals under two circumstances: if there had been an administrative error (the score or feedback did not match, or the score or feedback provided did not relate to the applicant’s material) or on process grounds (that the assessor had not properly taken all material into account).Submissions were reviewed by trained officials who had not been involved with the original assessment of the application under review. All submissions underwent a comprehensive review, taking into account the submitted material, published criteria, original accreditation applications, and any other associated material. The appeals process has now concluded, with all applicants being notified of their outcomes on 8 December 2022.The accreditation process is for delivery of ITT from the 2024/25 academic year. The outcomes of this process have no bearing on recruitment for delivery of ITT in the 2023/24 academic year.

Teachers: Training

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Barran on 5 December (HL Deb cols 6–9), what werethe criteria for the selection of those educational institutions that were registered to carry out teacher training; who carried out this process; and what was the rational for those institutions which previously received agood or outstanding Ofsted inspection having their accreditation for teacher training removed.

Baroness Barran: Teacher training providers who deliver initial teacher training (ITT) leading to qualified teacher status are accredited by the department, and must adhere to the ITT criteria on an ongoing basis as a condition of their accreditation. Following a consultation on the recommendations of the ITT Market Review, the department implemented a rigorous accreditation process in December 2021.The accreditation process focused on key features of high-quality ITT, as set out in the Review, the trainee curriculum (questions 1a and 1b), mentoring (question 1c) and partnerships (question 2).Ofsted assessed questions 1a and 1b, and trained officials at the department assessed questions 1c and 2.The accreditation process tested proposals for delivering ITT against new quality requirements that will come into effect from September 2024, and go beyond the existing ITT criteria used for current Ofsted inspection judgements, such as increased requirements around mentoring. As such, there can be disparities with current Ofsted judgements as they do not necessarily reflect a provider’s ability to deliver against the new requirements. The accreditation process was based solely on the content of the submitted applications.

Carers: Young People

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Department for Education has had with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about providing additional support to care-experienced young people.

Baroness Barran: Preventing homelessness and rough sleeping for care leavers is a priority of this government. The Department for Education and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) work closely to develop the government approach. Since 2018, the government has provided £8.2 million to local authorities to provide extra support to care leavers at highest risk of rough sleeping in contribution to the Cross Government Rough Sleeping Strategy.We have been working closely with DLUHC on the specific recommendations around care leaver homelessness within the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and will provide further detail on our joint plans within the Implementation Strategy which is due to be published in early 2023.

Children's Social Care National Implementation Board

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings of the Children’s Social Care National Implementation Board have taken place; and what role, if any, the Board has played in formulating His Majesty's Government's response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care.

Baroness Barran: Members of the National Implementation Board met for the first time in July 2022, for an ‘interim’ meeting. At this stage the department were yet to appoint members with lived experience of the children’s social care system. Following their appointment, in October 2022 the full board met with officials in the department for an informal update on progress. The first, full board meeting took place in November, chaired by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Families and Wellbeing and with all members present. The most recent meeting was held on 13 December 2022.The role of the board is to support, advise, and hold to account the government on its implementation of reforms to the children’s social care system. The board has reviewed and provided feedback on our strategic objectives, advising on how best to create the conditions for successful reform. They have also advised and challenged the department on our delivery plans, to help ensure we are taking the right actions to secure the outcomes we want to see for children and families in the short, medium, and long term.

Social Services: Children

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the impact of the increased cost of living on children’s social care budgets.

Baroness Barran: Children’s social care services are funded by the core spending power of local government. This is principally made up of council tax, retained business rates and central government grants. As agreed at the 2021 Spending Review, councils have access to £54.1 billion core spending power for their services in 2022/23. This is an increase of £3.7 billion on the 2021/22 financial year.The government announced in the Autumn Statement that £1.3 billion in 2023/24 and £1.9 billion in 2024/25 will be distributed to local authorities through the Social Care Grant for adult and children’s social care. This is in addition to the funding agreed in the 2021 Spending Review.We are working with the sector to understand the impact of inflation and will provide further details of the total funding available to local authorities in 2023/24 in the provisional local government finance settlement as soon as is possible this winter.

Departmental Responsibilities: Children

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to designate senior political leadership for child protection and children’s social care, and (2) to appoint a Minister for Children who attends Cabinet.

Baroness Barran: Policy for children and families is a cross government matter. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, represents the interests of children and young people when attending Cabinet.The department leads on the national policy for safeguarding and children’s social care. Following the report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse we are working closely with the Home Office to ensure that the child’s voice is reflected in all policy decisions, and that the child’s experience and wellbeing is consistently factored in to measures we take to improve child protection and safeguarding processes. We will be reviewing the Inquiry’s recommendations and will work closely with other government departments to respond in due course.

Ministry of Justice

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support greater use of early interventions for those in the criminal justice system to prevent recidivism.

Lord Bellamy: The Beating Crime Plan 2021 highlighted the importance of early intervention for all young people; targeted support for those at risk of involvement in criminality; and targeted interventions for those who have started to offend.  Intervening earlier is more effective, and cheaper.It is better for children that they do not enter the justice system at all, and that is why my department works with partners across government to support the design, delivery and evaluation of programmes which provide help earlier on. For example, the Supporting Families programme shows a return on investment of £2.28 for every £1 spent, and an 18% reduction in juvenile convictions and 38% reduction in juvenile prison sentences.To further build up the evidence base, and support innovative projects targeted at children on the cusp of the justice system, we are also providing £5m for 200 voluntary and community projects. These will engage children at risk of involvement in crime through mentoring and sport activities, with the aim of reducing crime in local communities.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: India

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto their policy paperUK-India free trade agreement: the UK’s strategic approach, published on 13 January, whether they have produced any short-run estimates for the impact of the prospective UK-India free trade agreement on (1) wages, and (2) output, by sector, measured by gross value added.

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their policy paper UK-India free trade agreement: the UK’s strategic approach, published on 13 January,to what extent they consider the long-run estimates within the document applicable to the UK in the first 15 years of the trade deal being in effect.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model used to estimate these benefits produces long run results: although not explicitly modelled, this is typically assumed to refer to a period of around 15 years after implementation. Because the model used is static, all changes resulting from the agreement are incorporated at once and therefore it does not capture short run impacts. India is projected to be the world’s third largest economy by 2050 and as India’s middle class grows to nearly a quarter of a billion middle class consumers, greater access to this market is expected to benefit UK firms.

Trade Agreements: India

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the ability of UK lawyers to practice in India is being negotiated as part of the UK–India Free Trade Agreement; and if so, what progress they have made with this issue.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Secretary of State for International Trade met her Government of India counterpart Minister Goyal during her visit to India, 12-13 December, and emphasised how our services exports can help to grow India's dynamic economy. Talks continue to be productive, and we look forward to reaching a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.

Tuna: Maldives

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reviewthe 20 per cent tariff for tuna exported from the Maldives to the UK given (1) the sustainability of the Maldivian tuna industry, and (2) the zero tariff for tuna exports from all other members of the Commonwealth small island developing states (SIDS).

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The UK currently applies the UK Global Tariff of 20% to imports of tuna from the Maldives. This rate is also applied to imports from all other trading partners where preferential arrangements are not in place. The Government continues to explore pragmatic opportunities to enhance bilateral trade relations with the Maldives in areas of mutual interest, including fishing.

Citrus Fruit: Import Duties

Lord Kamall: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their justification for levying a UK import tariff on the 16 different types of mandarins when there are no domestic producers.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The UK Global Tariff (UKGT) sets out the UK’s Most Favoured Nation tariffs. It applies when exceptions, such as preferential treatment under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or the Generalised Scheme of Preferences, do not apply. The UKGT has been in place since 1 January 2021. In designing the UKGT, the Government balanced the interests of UK producers and consumers, as well as strategic trade ambitions such as our FTA programme and preferential access for developing countries. As with all policy, we welcome stakeholder feedback. Stakeholders can submit feedback via the UKGT feedback form available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk.

UK Trade with EU

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with their EU counterparts regarding new trade deals.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Government is implementing our high-quality Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with the EU. The UK-EU TCA is the world’s biggest ever zero-tariff, zero-quota free trade deal. It secures continued market access across a broad range of key service sectors.  The Department, both in London and through its circa 300 staff in the overseas Posts across the EU, continues to work to resolve market access barriers faced by UK businesses, promote UK exports and encourage investment.

Trade Promotion: Northern Ireland

Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Johnson of Lainston on 12 December (HL3913), what role Invest Northern Ireland will play in the delivery of the trade and investment event in Northern Ireland in 2023, announcedby the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement on 17 November.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Northern Ireland Office and Department for International Trade are working closely with Northern Ireland partners, including the Executive Office, the Department for the Economy and Invest Northern Ireland, to deliver a trade and investment event in Northern Ireland in 2023. The UK Government and Northern Ireland partners will work together to deliver an event to attract international investment and to showcase Northern Ireland as a great place to live, work and do business.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

Baroness Coussins: To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the £1.8 million forPolitical Declaration ofPreventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI)priority countries they announced will be given to Columbia to develop its Women, Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: A significant delegation from Colombia attended the recent PSVI Conference in London, and I [Lord Ahmad] and the Minister for Development and Africa [Minister Mitchell] met with the delegation leader, Vice Foreign Minister, Laura Gil. The Minister for the Americas and Caribbean [Minister Rutley] also discussed PSVI with Foreign Minister Leyva on his recent visit to Colombia and met victims of sexual violence. The UK Government is committed to supporting the development of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans across the world, including Colombia as they develop their first National Action Plan, given their track record of championing the meaningful participation of women in their own peace process. The UK is in discussions with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on next steps.

Belarus: Politics and Government

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opposition movement in Belarus; and what plans they have, if any, to meet with the opposition leaderSviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya last visited the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 9 March 2022, where she met the Rt. Hon. James Cleverly, then Minister for Europe. Although there are currently no firm plans in place for a future visit, the UK remains in regular contact with Mrs Tsikanouskaya and other prominent Belarusian civil society figures.The UK Government continues to urge the Belarusian authorities to end their repression of their own citizens, enter into an inclusive dialogue with the democratic opposition and civil society, and offer the Belarusian people the genuine choice of government that they both want and deserve.

Ramzan Kadyrov

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to proscribe Ramzan Kadyrov and his associates as a terrorist organisation, as part of their sanctions against Russian citizens taking part in the military action in Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Whilst we keep the list of proscribed organisations under review, it is Government policy not to comment on whether a group is under consideration for proscription. To proscribe an organisation, the Home Secretary must have a reasonable belief that it is concerned in terrorism. This means the organisation participates or commits; prepares for; promotes, encourages or unlawfully glorifies; or is in some way otherwise concerned in terrorism.Ramzan Kadyrov was sanctioned on 31 December 2020 following his support for the illegal annexation of Crimea and the armed insurgency in Ukraine.

Department for Work and Pensions

Pension Credit: Applications

Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government how many claims for Pension Credit have been waiting for more than (1) two, (2) three, (3) four, (4) five, and (5) six, months for approval; and what percentage of applications this comprises.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: This information is only available at disproportionate cost to The Department for Work & Pensions as the Department does not have a business requirement for this information to be retained.

Pension Credit: Applications

Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the waiting times for Pension Credit applicants.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Following the successful launch of our campaign to increase up-take of Pension Credit, we have received an unprecedented number of claims. We have increased the resources available to process the extra volume of claims and have also adapted our claims processing approach, which has enabled us to improve productivity and clear claims more effectively. We are now clearing more cases per day than we are receiving. We are also prioritising the oldest cases, and those presenting in hardship, to ensure we get payments to those most in need. With these measures in place and, assuming the current volumes of new claims for Pension Credit, we anticipate that both processing times and outstanding cases will return to the levels we had before the recent three-fold increase in claims. Successful claims and arrears will be paid accordingly to ensure all those who are entitled do not miss out.

Financial Services: Climate Change

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 25 November (HL3377), what evidencethey have collected regarding the voting record of UK authorised fund managers in relation to climate-related resolutions at AGMs.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: I refer the Noble Lady to the answer I gave on 25 November 2022 to HL3377. The Department does not collect this information.

Budgeting Loans

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce (1) the waiting time for, and (2) the size of the loans available through, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ budgeting loans scheme.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: 98 per cent of claims for Social Fund Budgeting Loans are currently made online and the current target for notifying a decision is 8 working days. During 2020/21 the achieved target was 4.68 working days. We expect the performance figures for 21/22 to be published in the New Year. We continually review the delivery of different benefits. The maximum amount for a Budgeting Loan application is £348 if you’re single, £464 if you have a partner and £812 if you or your partner claim Child Benefit. This ensures that help is available for intermittent expenses that are considered difficult to budget for, whilst ensuring that repayments are affordable as far as possible.

Sick Pay

The Lord Bishop of London: To ask His Majesty's Government how the number of people earning less than the lower earnings threshold for statutory sick pay has changed over the last five years.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Information on the number of people earning less than the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL), over the last five years, is not readily available and would incur a disproportionate cost. This would require significant analysis to ensure the underlying data would be robust. As set out in the 2019 consultation, “Health is Everyone’s Business”, it was estimated that there were around 2 million employees who earned below the LEL and were therefore ineligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

Sick Pay: Reform

The Lord Bishop of London: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessments they have carried out of proposed reforms to Statutory Sick Pay in the last 10 years.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Statutory Sick Pay provides a minimum level of income for employees who are unable to work and is both administered and paid for entirely by employers. The Government continues to keep the system under review.

Social Security Benefits

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the current levels of benefits given the increased cost of living.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and has taken further decisive action to support people with their energy bills. The government’s Energy Price Guarantee, running from October 2022- March 2023, will save a typical British household around £900 this winter, based on what energy price would have been under the current price cap – reducing bills by roughly a third. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost-of-living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. From 10 April 2023 we are uprating State Pension and benefit rates by 10.1%. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap will also be increased by 10.1%. These increases are subject to Parliamentary approval.To ensure stability and certainty for households, the government is providing £26bn in cost-of-living support for 2023/24. This includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable. In 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Cost-of-Living Payments. A £300 payment will be made to pensioner households and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment. Also included is the amended Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24. For those who require extra support, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England in the next financial year. This is on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. In England this will be delivered through an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.

Universal Credit

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the report on the discovery phase of the managed migration of Universal Credit; and if so, when they intend to do so.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: We intend to publish our learnings and observations from the initial Discovery tests in due course.

Employment Schemes

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist people of working age who are economically inactive due to illness back into employment.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The government has a longstanding programme supporting disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work. This programme includes employment support programmes for disabled people and people with health conditions facing additional barriers into employment and interventions designed to minimise the risk of ill-health related job-loss. These programmes are accessible to the economically inactive and those at risk of falling into economic inactivity, including due to illness.Long-term sickness is now the most common reason for being economically inactive, rising 3.5 percentage points in the last 3 years to a total of 2.5 million people. It is the biggest factor in the rise in economic inactivity since the start of the pandemic.The 50-64 age group make up the largest proportion of those who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness. The government provides additional support to individuals aged 50 and over, in recognition of the additional challenges they may face re-joining the labour market.

Employment: Young People

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), how much time is each work coach assigned to a young person.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department for Work and Pensions’ Youth Offer is providing individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16-24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search regime. This includes intensive support during the first 13 weeks of a claim through the Youth Employment Programme, and access to Youth Employability Coaches (YECs) who are helping young people overcome complex barriers to employment, as well as offering 6 weeks of in-work support once they move into work. YECs also work closely alongside Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions, and partner organisations who can provide specialist advice.The aim of the 13-week Youth Employment Programme is to help claimants access opportunities to move them closer, and into work, including work experience placements, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, traineeships, apprenticeships, and equivalent opportunities in Scotland and Wales. Participants will see a Work Coach on a weekly basis for the duration of the Programme with additional time at week 2 for a Skills Review and a Progress Review at week 11.At the end of the 13 weeks claimants will continue to receive support through the core Jobcentre offer with the frequency and length of interventions determined by the individual circumstances of the claimant, the duration of their claim, and the level of support required at that particular time.The Youth Offer also provides a network of Youth Hubs in locations across Great Britain. The Hubs are co-located and co-delivered in partnership with local providers and provide place-based support to the help young people in the community move into work.

Jobcentres: Staff

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), how often is the provision of work coaching refreshed.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Work Coaches undertake job specific learning when they are new to role, as well as consolidation of their learning once training is completed. They are supported by Team Leaders who are responsible for assuring the quality of services through a combination of observation of interviews, feedback, coaching and appraisal. Work Coaches continue to receive ongoing learning to ensure they are confident in providing claimants with the support they need. They also have access to guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals.

Jobcentres: Staff

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), who provides this training to work coaches; and what qualifications do they have.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Work Coach Learning is delivered by DWP Learning Delivery Officers. Learning Delivery Officers receive a bespoke Training for Trainer event which is facilitated by experienced DWP Learning Delivery Officers. This is followed by an intensive consolidation period, peer support and a robust quality assurance process conducted by Line Managers throughout their onward delivery.

Jobcentres: Staff

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), whatcomponents of this "comprehensive learning journey" do all work coaches undertake; and what are the "tools, skills and behaviours" required of those coaches.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Work Coach Learning equips staff with tools, knowledge, skills and behaviours through a rich mix of topics, to enable them to support each claimant as an individual. This includes building a coaching skill set, focus on vulnerable customers and those with complex needs as well as those with health conditions, the impacts of their condition and what support is available to assist individuals moving closer to the working environment. DWP ensures that staff access the most up to date advice and expertise on a particular health condition/ complex need to support all individual customers requirements through signposted guidance support and websites to effectively use resources from both internal and external sites. Work Coaches also receive on-going learning for their roles and access to guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals. Please see attached list of learning which Work Coaches undertake as part of their comprehensive learning journey.Attachment (docx, 18.6KB)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: EU Law

Baroness Parminter: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee on 30 November where she stated that there are "about 1100" pieces of retained EU law within her department, what the precise number is.

Lord Benyon: Defra is in the process of confirming the full list of retained EU law (REUL) held by the Department. Until this work is complete, it is not possible to provide precise figures on Defra’s REUL. Defra will continue to publish new REUL to the public dashboard which will be regularly updated.

Nature Conservation: EU Law

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on (1) legal protections for European protected species, and (2) the population of such protected species in England.

Lord Benyon: Nature is in need of our help. We have been clear about the importance of environmental protection across the United Kingdom, not least through our world leading Environment Act, which sets a new legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and we are developing an extensive policy programme to deliver that.In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK. The Government has been clear that any changes to REUL will not have the effect of reducing the levels of environmental protection.

Environment Protection: EU Law

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to engage with environmental groups before making any decisions regarding the exercise of the powers proposed in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill; and if so, how.

Lord Benyon: Defra has routinely met environmental stakeholders since the introduction of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill to sight them on developments as the Bill passes through Parliament. Defra will continue to engage stakeholders as it takes steps to create laws and regulations in the interests of the UK. Defra is committed to engaging with stakeholders to ensure policy decisions are well-informed and result in benefits for both citizens and business. Defra is in the process of analysing its REUL stock to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK.

Land: Environment Protection

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Environment Agency reportWorking with nature, published in July, which stated that "99.7% of fens, 97% of species-rich grasslands, 80% of lowland heathlands, up to 70% of ancient woodlands, and up to 85% of saltmarshes" have been "destroyed or degraded", whether they will list by county where those degraded areas are.

Lord Benyon: The Environment Agency only holds the headline national data, as presented in the Working with Nature report. Data on fens, species rich grasslands, and lowland heathlands came from the Lawton report, Making Space for Nature (which itself cites other reports and papers). The author should be contacted for further information, including a county breakdown. Data on ancient woodlands data came from the Woodland Trust, who should be contacted for a county breakdown. Although the Environment Agency holds the data on saltmarsh quality, these are not readily available with a county breakdown.'Making Space for Nature', the Lawton report (pdf, 118.5KB)

Environment Protection: Disclosure of Information

Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 October (HCWS347), whether the delay to the publication of environmental targets related to clean water and biodiversity as required by the Environment Act 2021 will place them in breach of the Act.

Lord Benyon: I refer to the Written Statement HLWS449 made on 16 December 2022 and Written Statement HCWS456 made on 19 December 2022.

Home Office

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government how much will be paid each month by the UK, and to whom, as part of the UK–France Joint Statement of 14 November.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The funding arrangement agreed on 14 November was considered in terms of economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity when considering it's value.We work closely with France to tackle illegal migration and jointly monitor the impact of funding arrangements, including the financial package agreed on 14 November, through daily operational contact and regular strategic reviews with agreed metrics.Our joint work has seen the prevention of over 31,000 crossings so far this year. It would be inappropriate to publish the detail of these reviews as they contain sensitive operational details and relate to ongoing operational bilateral discussions.

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment of value for money was undertaken in relation to the UK–France Joint Statement of 14 November; and when that assessment will be published.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The funding arrangement agreed on 14 November was considered in terms of economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity when considering it’s value.We work closely with France to tackle illegal migration and jointly monitor the impact of funding arrangements, including the financial package agreed on 14 November, through daily operational contact and regular strategic reviews with agreed metrics.Our joint work has seen the prevention of over 31,000 crossings so far this year. It would be inappropriate to publish the detail of these reviews as they contain sensitive operational details and relate to ongoing operational bilateral discussions.

Refugees: Afghanistan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Afghan refugees have been admitted to the UK under the UNHCR Resettlement Schemes since August 2021; and how many further applications they expect to approve in the first quarter of 2023.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Earlier this summer, we began receiving referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of vulnerable refugees who have fled Afghanistan for resettlement to the UK under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) Pathway 2.UNHCR has the global mandate to provide international protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees, and with whom we already work in resettling refugees under our flagship UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Mandate and Community Sponsorship Schemes. UNHCR will refer individuals in accordance with their standard resettlement submission criteria, which are based on an assessment of protection needs and vulnerabilities. Under both our current and previous resettlement schemes we have accepted and resettled a number of Afghan refugees in third countries. Historic and current operational data in relation to the UK’s resettlement schemes, including broken down by nationality, can be found at: Gov.UKWe are also pleased to have now welcomed the first families (four individuals) under ACRS Pathway 2. On 24th November the latest Immigration Statistics publication included data on Pathway 2 arrivals for the first time and this can be found using the same link. We anticipate receiving referrals from UNHCR for up to 2,000 refugees during the first year of this pathway, although this number will be kept under review. We will continue to receive UNHCR referrals to the scheme in coming years.

Migrant Workers: Skilled Workers

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government when the Migration Advisory Committee will report its recommendations to change the shortage occupation list (SAL).

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Government has commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the Shortage Occupation List, however the review is currently paused.The Home Office is working closely with the Migration Advisory Committee in considering their workplan, in light of other migration issues.

Deportation: Albania

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government how much the arrangement with Albania tofast-track the removal of Albanian nationals who have travelled to the UK via small boats, announced on 25 August, will cost; and how many Albaniansseeking asylum in the UK they expect to be removed under this arrangement.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Following the new approach agreed with the Albanian government last week, we are in close discussions with them on the operational details. Further information including final actual spend will be provided within Home Office financial statements in the usual way.We continue to work extremely closely with our Albanian partners on a range of issues and are committed to building on our cooperation to date, including on tackling illegal migration. That includes the excellent operational collaboration with Albanian law enforcement, and our readmissions agreement signed last year, which has already seen over 1,000 Albanian foreign national offenders and immigration offenders removed from the UK, including some who crossed the channel illegally to come to the UK.The UK and Albania pledged to fast track the removal of Albanians with no right to be in the UK wherever possible, and to send senior Albanian law enforcement to the UK to speed up processing and share information with our authorities. In co-operation with the Government of Albania, we are taking every opportunity to intercept the activities of organised criminal gangs and people smugglers, and speed up the removal of Albanians and other nationals with no right to be in the UK.

HM Passport Office: Repayments

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government how many requests for reimbursement have been received by HM Passport Office since 2010; and how much has been paid out annually since that year.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: It is HM Passport Office's policy to reimburse any reasonable out of pocket expenses as a result of its error or to refund where no processing costs have been incurred.The table below shows the total amount of reimbursements by HM Passport Office to its customers in each financial year from 2017/18 which includes refunds for cancelled appointments or where fees have been taken in error or duplicated.YearTotal reimbursement paid to customers 2017/2018£1,191,918.642018/2019£1,624,641.402019/2020£1,104,321.742020/2021£364,254.152021/2022£2,175,767.442022/2023 (to 30 November 2022)£3,139,740.50 Data relating to the number of requests for reimbursement, or the total reimbursements paid in each financial year prior to 2017/18, is not held in a reportable format.

Hourglass

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government why the Safeguarding Minister has cancelled an upcoming meeting with Hourglass (Safer Aging) on 14 December.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Safeguarding Minister was due to meet Hourglass on 14 December 2022 following correspondence regarding funding for the organisation. Officials recommended any private meeting be postponed to protect the integrity of the ongoing VAWG Specialist and Support Services Fund competition.The Home Office launched this open commercial competition for ‘by and for’ and specialist services, which could include those providing services for older victims, on 22 November 2022.To ensure that the competition remains fair and transparent, and to avoid any possible concern about lobbying or preferential treatment should Hourglass go on to receive funding following the competition officials advised that the Safeguarding Minister should not meet privately with Hourglass . . Concerns about transparency would require investigation and could delay funding being awarded to successful applicants.This approach will be applied to any organisation in a similar position while the competition is open. Once the competition closes (planned for 27th Jan 2023) and successful candidates are mobilised (1st April 2023) the meeting can be arranged to discuss Hourglass’ vital work to support older victims of abuse.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Elections: Proof of Identity

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have to require voters to show identification at polling stations at elections beyond those in 2023.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those on low incomes who do not possess a passport or driving licence are (1) provided with, or (2) supported to acquire, relevant photo identification in order to participate in future elections.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of employing anadditional polling clerk tasked with ensuring that the photo identification requirements are satisfied at each of the polling stations in the UK.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will meet the cost for those who require an up-to-date and recognisable photograph for the purposes of photo identification to vote in future elections.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The voter identification measures set out in the Elections Act 2022 will come into effect for the scheduled election in May 23 for all types of poll set out in the Act, except for UK Parliamentary general elections, which will require voter identification from October 2023.A wide range of identification documents will be accepted at polling stations and will not be limited to only passports and driving licenses. A full list of acceptable identification can be found here. Cabinet Office research shows that 98% of electors already own a photographic document (in date or expired) that could be accepted under our proposals. Moreover, any registered elector who does not possess any of these forms of identification will be able to apply to their local authority to obtain a Voter Authority Certificate, free of charge. An equivalent will also be available for electors registered to vote anonymously. This will ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote will continue to have the opportunity to do so.We will continue to work with local authorities, charities and civil society organisations to ensure that voter identification works for everybody. The Electoral Commission will also deliver a comprehensive and targeted communications campaign to raise awareness for the changes to the requirements at the polling station.The estimated cost of additional poll clerks can be found in the published Impact Assessment here.If an elector applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate or Anonymous Elector’s Document is not able to provide a photograph themselves, their Electoral Registration Officer will be able to take a photograph for them. Funding will be provided to local authorities to purchase cameras if required.List of acceptable identification (pdf, 256.7KB)Impact Assessment (pdf, 266.6KB)

Levelling Up Fund

Lord Stunell: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to speed up thenotification of the results of bids to the Levelling Up Fund; and what assessment they have made of the delay of the establishment ofMarple Leisure and Community Hub in Stockport Borough.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: All bids submitted to the second round of the Levelling Up Fund, including the Marple Leisure and Community Hub in Stockport Borough, have been assessed following the robust process set out in published guidance.I appreciate that applicants, if successful, will want to begin work on their projects as soon as possible. We have notified applicants and MPs that having received such a high number of quality applications, the announcement has been delayed until the New Year to allow us to allocate additional funds - meaning up to £2.1 billion will be granted to successful bids in this round. We will therefore announce the results of the second round by the end of January 2023.

Treasury

Cash Dispensing: Rural Areas

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the access to cash in rural areas for (1) vulnerable residents, such as the elderly and infirm, and (2) small businesses.

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government what data they collect on the average distances a resident in a rural community must travel to access (1) a bank, and (2) a cash machine.

Lord Harlech: The government recognises that while the transition towards digital banking and payments brings many opportunities, cash continues to be used by many people, including those who may be in vulnerable groups, and small business across the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has a considerable evidence base on cash provision and use across the UK. Analysis that was published by the FCA in June 2022 shows that, as of the end of 2021, over 95% of the population are within two kilometres of a free-to-use cash access point, such as a free-to-use ATM, bank branch or Post Office branch. Additional breakdowns by category of cash facility and areas are published on the FCA’s website. The government is currently taking legislation to protect access to cash across the UK through Parliament as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022. The legislation will establish the FCA as the lead regulator for access to cash with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities. As part of its responsibilities, the FCA will be granted powers to seek to address any local deficiencies in the provision of access to cash facilities that it has identified and considers to be significant. The government’s view is that this will allow for consideration of local circumstances in all parts of the UK. This will result in a regulatory framework that will support the ongoing assessment of cash needs and provision at both a nationwide and local level.

Credit and Debts

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what records they keep of the rate of (1) credit use, and (2) problem debt; and what assessment they have made of the effects of these on the UK population.

Lord Harlech: The Government monitors the rate of credit use and problem debt by working closely with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as well as by engaging with the debt advice sector and other relevant stakeholders on their research and findings. The FCA conducts a biennial Financial Lives Survey which provides a comprehensive insight into the finances, including consumer credit product usage, of the UK population. The latest ‘snapshot’ findings from their survey were published on 21 October 2022 and can be found on their website. Retrospective analysis of trends in consumer credit product usage is also produced by other organisations, including as part of the Bank of England’s monthly statistical releases. Recent Bank of England data shows that net consumer credit lending has shown some increase in recent months but remains close to the levels seen in 2019. MaPS monitors levels of problem debt through an annual survey of 22,000 individuals. MaPS published its latest data on 23 February 2022, which can also be found on their website. This includes a regional breakdown of how the need for debt advice has changed since 2019 across the UK.

Cash Dispensing: Rural Areas

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to ensure that cash access remains viable in the most remote parts of the UK.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the introduction of shared banking hubs in larger towns in the UK, what assessment they have made of level of cash access those in the most rural areas can expect to have in the future.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatstepsthey are taking to support people who rely solely on cash to (1) access cash, and (2) access digital banking alternatives to cash.

Lord Harlech: The government recognises that while the transition towards digital banking and payments brings many opportunities, cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups. The government is currently taking legislation to protect access to cash across the UK through Parliament as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022. The legislation will establish the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities. As part of its responsibilities, the FCA will be granted powers to seek to address any local deficiencies in the provision of access to cash facilities that it has identified and considers to be significant. The government’s view is that this will allow for consideration of local circumstances in all parts of the UK, including in relation to rural areas. This will result in a regulatory framework that will support the ongoing assessment of cash needs and provision at both a nationwide and local level. Following the government’s commitment to legislate, industry is working together to deliver new initiatives to provide shared access to cash services. To date, industry has committed to shared bank hubs in 29 locations across the UK and identified 18 further communities for piloting innovations in cash deposit services. Communities can request an assessment of access to cash in their area by LINK using the LINK website. There is a wide range of options to access everyday banking services, beyond branches, such as online, telephone banking, and the Post Office, reflecting wider changes in how consumers choose to bank. In 2021, 86% of UK consumers used a form of remote banking, such as an app, online or on the phone. The government works closely with regulators, industry, and consumer groups to support financial inclusion, and is fully supportive of the ongoing work to deliver appropriate access to banking services, including industry initiatives to provide free digital skills training to help customers access online banking.